| An-Nisa (The Women): (108) They conceal themselves from people...

Translation:

The word Istikhfa' (concealment) in language means to hide oneself. It is said, Istakhfaytu min fulan (I concealed myself from so-and-so), meaning I hid and veiled myself from him. Allah the Exalted says: {And [He is] one who speaks openly, and one who is hidden} (Ar-Ra'd: 10), meaning one who is concealed.

Thus, His statement: {They conceal themselves from people} means they hide from people, but they do not hide from Allah.

Ibn Abbas said: They feel shame before people but do not feel shame before Allah.

Al-Wahidi commented: This is a meaning, not a literal interpretation (tafsir). This is because feeling shame before people necessitates hiding from them, but saying that shame is concealment itself is not accurate.

His statement: {but He is with them} refers to His Knowledge, Power, and Sight. This alone is sufficient as a deterrent for a person from committing sins.

His statement: {when they plot by night what He does not approve of in speech} means they intend and plan in their minds. We have already mentioned the meaning of Tabyit (plotting by night) in our discussion of His saying: {A group of them plotted} (An-Nisa: 81).

That which Allah does not approve of in speech is exemplified by what Tu'mah did: He falsely accused a Jew, claiming the Jew stole the shield, and swore an oath that he himself had not stolen it. The messenger accepted his oath because Tu'mah was of the same religion, but he would not accept the Jew's oath.

If it is asked: How is plotting by night called "speech" when it is merely a meaning in the soul?

We reply: Our school of thought holds that true speech is the meaning subsisting in the soul. According to this view, there is no issue. For those who deny the reality of the speech of the soul, they can answer by saying that Tu'mah and his companions likely gathered at night and arranged the manner of their deceit and trickery. Allah the Exalted named their communication this "plotted speech" that He does not approve of.

As for His statement: {And Allah is ever encompassing of what they do}, the meaning intended is a warning, in that even if they hide the manner of their deceit and trickery from people, it was manifest in Allah's Knowledge, as He is encompassing of all knowable things; nothing is hidden from Him, Glorified is He.

! 7 < { Ha! You are those who have argued on their behalf in the worldly life, but who will argue with Allah for them on the Day of Resurrection, or who will be their advocate? } > 7

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Translation:

{Ha! You are those who have argued on their behalf in the worldly life}—meaning, you debated and defended them regarding their actions.

{but who will argue with Allah for them on the Day of Resurrection, or who will be their advocate?}—meaning, who will be their representative or defender when Allah judges them? This serves as a severe reprimand to those who defended the hypocrites and wrongdoers in this life.